French justice minister to face court in conflict of interest case

By Feiza Ben Mohamed

NICE, France (AA) - France's Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti will stand trial in a conflict of interest case, his lawyers said Monday.

If convicted by the Court of Justice of the Republic, which deals with crimes committed by government officials, he could face a five-year prison sentence and a fine of €500,000.

Citing a press release from his lawyers, daily Le Monde reported an appeal has been filed.

Indicted in July 2021, the minister is being prosecuted for his former activities as a lawyer and relates in particular to two files in which he would have intervened as a lawyer and then as minister of justice.

The first investigation relates to a case targeting a police officer suspected of corruption and defended by Dupond-Moretti, who, after taking office, launched an investigation against the magistrate in charge of the investigation.

The second is part of the so-called "wiretapping" case of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and in which the communications of several lawyers had been monitored, including Dupond-Moretti, who requested the opening of an administrative investigation against the magistrates of the National Financial Prosecutor's Office.

Last May, considering "that there were sufficient charges against the latter to have committed these acts", the prosecution of the CJR had requested a trial against Dupond-Moretti.